Robert Patrick May Replace Bryan Cranston In Gangster Squad

It's hard not to have an incredible amount of respect for Bryan Cranston. The actor spent years as "bit player you recognize from that other TV show" (though I'll never forget Dr. Tim Whatley D.D.S. from Seinfeld). His big break came when he was cast as the dad on Malcolm in the Middle, but things have blown up beyond comprehension now. The guy has a starring role on one of the best shows on television (Breaking Bad), has roles in seven movies with a 2011 release date, and has won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series three years in a row. When you're this in-demand, however, you can't do every project that's thrown your way, and now Cranston has been forced to drop one.

Variety has learned that Robert Patrick is now in talks to replace Bryan Cranston in Ruben Fleischer's Gangster Squad. Should he officially sign on, Patrick will play Max Kennard, a quiet, Texas-born LAPD officer "who ambitiously enforces the law." Already signed on to the project are Sean Penn, as gangster Mickey Cohen, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie and Michael Pena. Earlier this week it was reported that Emma Stone has entered talks for the film's female lead. The script was written by Will Beall, a former LAPD officer whose writing credits include five episodes of the Nathan Fillion television series Castle.

Sure, losing Cranston is a bummer, but if you don't think that Robert Patrick can effectively play a stone-faced, unstopable police officer then you seriously need to revisit Terminator 2.